Sewing machine



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SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 17 1916 '4 Sheets-Shea; 1

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SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 17, 1916 4 Sheets-5heet 2 QWf/ggzior %M Jan,27,

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SEWING MACHINE 1916 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov, 17

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SEWING MACHINE 'Fil'ed Nov. 17., 1916 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan, 27,1925.

NlTE STATES EUGENE J". BAY, OF BEVERLY. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON,.NEW JERSEY, A COR-PORATION OF NEW J SEWING MACHINE.

Application filed November 17, 1916.

To all who-m it may concern.

Be it known that I, EUGENE J. RAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing Machines;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to thread holding and severing mechanism forsewing machines.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved mechanismwhich is well adapted for severing and holding the upper needle threadof a buttonhole sewing machine at the completion of a buttonhole,

and which will operate to trim the end of the thread leading from theholder to the initial part of the seam after a few stitches have beensewed at the beginning of a buttonhole.

To this end the invention comprises the features of construction andcombinations of parts hereinafter described and referred to in theclaims, the advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

The invention will be readily understood from an inspection of theaccompanying drawings and the following detailed description of themechanism illustrated therein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing so much of abuttonhole sewing machine as is necessary to illustrate the applicationof the present invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View online 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation, partly in section,showing the thread holding and severing mechanism;

Fig. et is a side elevation looking toward the right in Fig. 3; Fig. 5is a plan view of the parts shown in. Figs. 3 and 1; Figs. 6 to 11 aredetail views showing the mode of operation of the devices in severing,holding and trimming the thread; Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectionalview through the bearing, in which the holder and cutter bars aremounted; Fig. 13 is a detail view of the thread holder bar; Fig. 1 1 isan end view of the bar looking toward the right in Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is adetail plan view of the Serial No. 131,895.

cutter bar; and Fig. 16 is an end view of the bar, looking toward theright in Fig. 15. In the drawings the invention is shown as embodied ina buttonhole sewing machine having the construction and mode ofoperation of the machine shown and described in Patent No. 1,063,880,dated June 3, 1913. In this machine the stitch forming mechanismcomprises an upper needle 2 ec centrically mounted in a verticallyreciprocating needle bar 4, an under needle 6 and a looper 8. The upperneedle bar and the under needle and looper are mounted respectively in arotary carrier 10 and a rotary turret 12 which are rotated during thesewing about the eye and end of the buttonhole. The work is held by twowork clamping feet 14 pivotally mounted on the ends of clamp arms 16,which are in turn pivoted to supporting blocks 18. The blocks 18 aresecured upon work supporting plates 20, which are pivoted at 22 to theclamp carriage 2%, so that the plates and clamps may be separated ormoved laterally to spread the buttonhole. The clamp arms 16 are movedvertically to close and open the clamps at the proper times by mechanismwhich forms no part of the present invention. The clamp carriage ismoved longitudinally to bring the work into register with the buttonholecutter 26, or into register with the stitch forming mechanism, and tofeed the work during the sewing, by a cam groove formed in the cam gear28 which makes one revolution for each'cycle of the machine. The clampcarrier is moved laterally, and the stitch forming mechanism is rotatedduring the sewing through suitable connections from a gear 30 whichmakes one revolution during the sewing of a buttonhole.

7 At the completion of the sewing of the buttonhole the stitch formingmechanism is stopped with the upper and under needles in retractedpositions, and with the loop of upper needle thread. held by the looperas indicated in Fig. 1. The upper needle thread is then automaticallysevered and the end of the needle thread is held, preparatory to thebeginning of the next sew ing operation. After the initial stitches havebeen formed, and the thread is anchored in the seam, a cutter blade isoperated to cut the thread leading from the seam to the holder close tothe work. In the construction shown, the devices for thus severing,holding and. trimming the thread comprise two semi-cylindrical bars 32and 34 mounted to reciprocate in a bearing 36 formed on the right-handclamp foot 14. The bars are mounted one above the otheiu and the forwardend of the upper bar 32 is flattened and provided with a laterallyprojecting thread engaging finger or hook 38. After the stitch formingmechanism has stopped at the completion of a button hole, the bar 32 isadvanced from the position indicated in Figs. 3 and 12 to the positionindicated in Figs. 5 and 6. and as it advances, the thread finger 38deflects the standing thread, which immediately springs into positionback of the finger after the finger has passed, as indicated in Figs. 1and 9. .The bar 32 is then quickly retracted, and carries the threadlaterally under a springplate 40 which co-operates with the uppersurface of the thread finger in gripping and holding the thread. Thethread finger also carries the thread against a cut tingedge 01' blade42 formed on the for ard end of the bar 34, and arranged to co-operatewith the lower edge of the thread finger in severing the thread. asindicated in Fig. 7-. The thread holding devices are preferably soarranged with relation. to the sewing point that the thread leading fromthe holder to the initial needle hole at the beginningof the next sewingoperation will be so held that theinitial stitches will cover thethread. After several stitches have been made at the beginning of thesewing operation the cutter bar 34 is advanced, and a cutter blade 44,which is formed on the forward end of the bar at its lower edge, and

' is arranged to project beyond the cutter blade 42, engages the threadclose to the seam, and thus closely trims the thread end retained by thethread holder. In order that the cutter blade 44 may cut the threadclose to the seam, without danger of injuring the stitches of the seam,guard flanges 46 are formed at the sides of the blade which extendslightly below its edge, so that they may ride over andpress down theseam as the blade passes across it. The bearing in which the threadholder and. the cutter bar reciprocate is preferably formed at'aninclination to the surface of the work as indicated, sincethisarrangement enables the standing thread to be severed and heldcomparatively close to the work, and also enables the trimming blade topass close to the seam in trimming the waste end of thread;

In the construction shown, the thread holder and clutter bars are heldin retracted position-'by'springs, and are advanced and releasedat theproper times by devices actuated through the longitudinal travel of theclamp carriage. As shown, the thread holder bar 32 is provided with ashank projecting through a plate 48 which closes the rear end of thebearing 36, and the bar is held in retracted position by a spring 50surrounding the shank and interposed between the plate and a nut on therear end of the shank. The bar is advanced through a rock shaft 54mounted to turn on a stud 56, and provided at its lower end with a gearsegment 58 engaging a rack 60 formed on the side of the bar. A collar 2is secured upon the upper end of the shaft, and is provided with aradially projectiug finger (34 mounted to engage a relatively stationarydog 66 during the travel of the clamp carriage (Figs. 4 and 5). The dog(36 is held in the path of the finger 64 by a spring (38. and isprovided with an incline T0 at its end against which the finger ridesduring the forward travel of the clamp carriage. The finger 64 willtherefore force the dog- 6 back out of its path during the forwardtravel of the clamp carriage, and as soon as the finger has passed, thedog will immcdiately snap forward into position to engage and operatethe finger during the return movement of the carriage. The engagement ofthe finger with the dog during the return movement of the carriage tocutting position after the sewing has been completed will rock thesleeve 54 and thus ad mice the thread holder bar into position to engagethe thread, after which the continued movement of the clamp carriagewill free the finger from the dog, so that the thread hold ing bar maybe quickly retracted by the spring 50 to scv and grip the thread asabove described.

A similar mechanism is provided for reciprocating the cutter bar 34. Thebar is provided on its side with a rack 72 engaged by a gear segment 74on the lower end of. a rock shaft 76 which is mounted in a bearing 78 onthe clamp foot 14. A collar 80 is secured to the upper end of the rockshaft. and is provided with a radially projecting." finger 82 arrangedto engage a springpressed dog 84 similar to the dog (36 but facing inthe opposite direction. tm'sioual spring 86 is connected to the hearing78 and to the collar 80, and acts to norn'iallv hold the bar 34 inretracted position with its rear end against: the plate -18. asindicated in Figs. 3 and 12. During the forward movement of the clampcarriage the dog 84 acts on the finger 82 and rocks the shaft 76 toadvance the cutter bar and trim the waste end of thread as abovedcscribed. During the return movement of the clamp carriage, however.the finger forces the dog back and rides idly past the dog. 1

In order that the dogs 66 and 84 may he maintained continually in properrelation to the fingers 64; and 82, which are mounted on and moved withthe clamp, the dogs are iarried in a support 88 which is mounted to movelaterally and vertically with the clamp, and is connected therewith byinterlocking guiding devices. As shown, the support is mounted to movevertically about a horizontal pivot 90 carried b 1 a head 92. The headis provided with a trunnion 94- mounted to turn in a vertical bearing 96formed on a bracket 98 secured to the head of the machine. The Weight ofthe support 88 is counterbalanced by a spring 100. The support isconnected to move laterally and vertically with the clamp by a guidestud 102 projecting from the upper end of the collar 80 into a guideway104. formed in the lower side of the support.

The dogs 66 and 84 are mounted in bearings 106 which are a'djustablysecured in brackets 108 by set screws 110, so that the dogs may beadjusted across the path of the fingers 64 and 82 to vary the move mentsin'iparted to the holder and cutter bars. The brackets 108 area'djustably secured on the support 88 by clamping screws 112. so thatthe dogs may be adjusted along the path of travel of the fingers to varythe points in the travel of the clamp carriage at which the bars will beadvanced and retracted.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction andarrangement of parts shown and described, particularly in embodying theinvention in the machine of the patent above referred to, it will beunderstood that this construction and arrangement is not essential tothe broader features of the invention, and may be varied or modified asfound desirable or best suited to the construction and arrangement ofthe parts and mechanisms of the machine in which it is to be embodied.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, andspecifically described one form of mechanism in which it may beembodied, what is claimed is 1. A sewing machine, having, incombination, stitch forming mechanism for sewing an overseam, means forholding the thread end at the beginning of the sewing in posi tion to becovered by the initial stitches ot the seam, and means for trimming theuncovered end of the thread.

2. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming mechanismfor sewing an overseam, thread severing and holding devices for severingthe needle thread at the end of the sewing and for holding it inposition to be covered by the initial stitches at the beginning of thesucceeding seam, and a cutter for cutting the uncovered end of thethread close to the seam.

A sewing machine, having, in combination, a work clamp, stitch. formingmechanism, means operated by the relative travel of the clamp and stitchforming mechanism to sever and hold the thread after the completion ofthe sewing, and means for sever ing the thread between the holder andwork at the beginning of the sewing.

4-. A. sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming mechanism,an endwise reciprocating bar provided with a thread engaging fingerprojecting laterally of its longitudinal axis for engaging and carryingthe thread laterally at the completion of the sewing, thread clan'ipingand severing members against which the finger carries the thread, and asecond thread severing member below the first for severing the threadleading from the holder to the seam at the beginning of the sewing.

5. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming mechanism, athread holder bar provided with a thread engaging finger, a cutter barunderlying the holder bar and provided with an upper edge forco-opcrating with the thread finger in severing the thread and with alower cutting edge for cutting the thread close to the work, andmechanism for actuating the holder and cutter bars.

6. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming mechanism, areciprocating holder bar provided with a thread engaging finger, aco-operating clamping member, a reciprocating cutter bar provided withan upper edge co-operating with the thread finger and a, lower edge forcutting the thread close to the work, and mechanism for actuating thebars.

7. A. sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming mechanism,a. support provided with a guideway, two superposed bars mounted toreciprocate in the guideway, a thread holding finger at the forward endof the upper bar, two cutting edges at the forward end of the lower bar,mechanism for actuating the upper bar to sever and hold the thread atthe completion of the sewing, and mechanism for actuating the lower barto sever the end of the thread at the beginning of the sewing.

8. A buttonhole sewing machine. having,

in combination, a work clamp. stitch forming mechanism, a threadsevering and hold.- ing device for severing and holding the thread afterthe stitching of a buttonhole is completed, a thread cutting blade forcutting the thread after the stitching of a buttonhole has begun, andmechanism for actuating the holding and severing devices and the bladeby the relative movement of the stitch forming mechanism and work clamp.

97 A buttonhole sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch Formingmechanism, a traveling clamp carriage. a clamp arm on the carriage,thread severing and holding devices on the clamp arm, a verticallymovable support, dogs on the support, actuating clamp, a support mountedfor lateral move ment with the clamp, co-operating devices on the clampand support for actuating the severing and holding devices through thetravel ofthe clamp, and guiding devices on the support and clamp formaintaining the actuating devices in operative relation.

11. A sewing machine, having, in combination, stitch forming mechanism,thread holding and severing devices for holding and severing the threadat the completion of the sewing, and a reciprocating blade for severingthe thread close to the seam at the beginning of the sewing providedwith guard, flanges for riding over the seam.

12. In a sewing machine constructed to seW a succession of short seamsand to come to rest at the end of each scam, the combination withstitch-forming mechanism and Work-holdingmeans movable relatively toeach other, of means adapted to take and hold the needle thread betweenthe needle and the work, thread-triimning means adapted to sever thethread between the holding means and work, and means rendered operativeby such relative movement to cause the thread-holding means to take theneedle thread after the completion of one seam and to hold it while thethread is severed and while a second seam is thereafter begun to bestitched, and also to cause the thread-trimming means to cut the threadboth at the end of each seam and after the starting of the stitching onthe next seam.

13. In a sewing machine constructed, to sew a series of short seams andcome to rest. after each seam, the combination ol" stitch- Eormingmechanism and work-holding means movable relative to each other.thread-gripping means adapted to take and hold the needle thread betweenthe needle and the work, thread-trimming means adapted to sever thethread between the thread-stripping means and the work, and meansoperated by such relative movement to cause the gripping means to takethe thread and the trimming means thereafter to sever it in the periodbetween the completing of one seam and the starting of the next seam,and to cause the trimming means thereafter and after the starting ofsaid next seam to trim the thread end held by the gripping means.

EUGENE J. RAY.

